Patrice Cani awarded the prestigious 2026 Francqui Prize

Congratulations to Patrice Cani (WEL Research Institute – UCLouvain) on being awarded the prestigious 2026 Francqui Prize in Biological and Medical Sciences!

Often referred to as the “Belgian Nobel Prize”, the Francqui Prize is awarded each year to a researcher whose work has made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of knowledge and to the international reputation of Belgian research. Established in 1933 by the Francqui Foundation, the 2026 Prize was presented by His Majesty the King during an official ceremony at the Palace of the Academies in Brussels.

This prestigious distinction recognises the excellence of Patrice Cani’s research, which has highlighted the pivotal role of gut bacteria in obesity, type 2 diabetes and inflammation. His work has established the gut microbiota as a key determinant of metabolic health and has paved the way for novel prevention and treatment strategies based on the modulation of intestinal bacteria.